The Orioles are just four games into the 2010 season and already they face a major crisis. Can Dave Trembley, or any manager for that matter, change closers before his team completes one turn through the rotation? Can you do it with someone that signed a two-year, 12 million dollar contract? First of all, don't blame Trembley for putting his closer in to close. Yankee and Red Sox managers do it all the time. The facts are that twice Mike Gonzalez came in to protect a one-run lead. He has...

Taking a quick check of the farm before going to bed - I have to get up early and milk the cows - I see that outfielder Lou Montanez went 3-for-3 with an RBI triple in Triple-A Norfolk's 6-4 win over Durham. Montanez tried to play last season with torn ligaments in his thumb because he recognized and valued the opportunity that the Orioles laid out for him. He kept swinging the bat, ignoring the pain, until finally forced to the disabled list. He didn't disappear from view at the first...

Not again: In suffering his second blown save of the year in the O's 7-6 loss to Toronto Friday afternoon, Mike Gonzalez gave up 2 ER in just 2/3 of an inning. He threw 18 pitches, just nine for strikes, after throwing strikes on just 12 of 26 pitches on Thursday vs. Tampa. He has allowed 4 ER in two innings on the year with two blown saves. Last year he was five for six in save chances before suffering his second blown save on May 12 for Atlanta. The Orioles are now 37-20 all-time in home...

Brad Bergesen knew three months ago that he'd start the home opener, according to manager Dave Trembley. This isn't how they envisioned it. Bergesen was charged with five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, leaving his ERA after one appearance at 9.64. "It was a tough outing," he said. "They hit some bad pitches and they hit some good pitches. Hopefully I'll make some adjustments the next few days and get after Tampa Bay." Matt Wieters gives his thoughts on Brad Bergesen's outing...

In addition to just lending support to a struggling teammate right now, Miguel Tejada has a suggestion for struggling closer Mike Gonzalez. Tejada was in the National League with Houston the last two years when Gonzalez was with Atlanta. He is 0 for 2 batting vs. the left-hander. Miguel Tejada discusses the O's 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays with the media "I don't have many at bats against Gonzalez because he's a lefty and I hit right handed. The last time I faced him he seemed to throw...

How strange that Mike Gonzalez keeps facing the bottom of the order in his save opportunities. Maybe he should start in the middle. Can that be arranged? Manager Dave Trembley's patience is being tested. It shows on his face and in his answers. He's trying to remain supportive of Gonzalez, but he's also frustrated that a 3-1 record has been turned around. Dave Trembley talks with the media after the O's 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays "The bottom line for me is today is a game you have to...

Mike Gonzalez sat at his locker again, waiting for reporters to talk about his latest destructive outing. It must be getting old - for a lot of people. "It's definitely not the way I wanted to start off, but I definitely have the utmost confidence in my ability," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind that I can get the job done. I just got off to a bad start and that's all I can say about that. "The thing I'm most frustrated about is the way this team's playing now. We're hitting...

Can a season start worse for a closer? Two blown saves in four games for Mike Gonzalez and a 1-3, not 3-1 start for the Orioles. Gonzalez was booed loudly after blowing the save in the home opener. But he was also booed on his way into the game as fans remembered his opening night struggles too. "I understand it obviously. They brought me here for a reason. That was to close games and get the job done. That's twice I've done it in a row and I understand their frustration," Gonzalez...

Well, if new O's closer Mike Gonzalez had started the season pitching real well, the Orioles could be 3-1 and he could already have three saves. But Gonzalez suffered his second blown save in four games on Friday and the Orioles lost again in the ninth, 7-6 to Toronto. The crowd of 48,891 is a new Opening Day record at Camden Yards. Less than 24 hours after his shaky save vs. Tampa Thursday, Gonzalez entered in the 9th on Friday trying to preserve a 6-5 O's lead. But he issued a leadoff...

It wasn't a 15-pitch free pass from closer Mike Gonzalez. I'm referring to his walk back to the dugout after being removed from the game with two outs in the top of the ninth and the Blue Jays ahead, 7-6. Fans showered Gonzalez with boos long before he hit the real showers. He's surrendered two leads in four games, and last night's save was a buzz kill. Manager Dave Trembley replaced Gonzalez with Cla Meredith. He was one batter away from making the same switch last night. Brian Roberts...